Nothing Sacred
by Rasalas
Summary: As humans strive for perfection, their methods of playng god create a rift in the race. Humans have split into two groups. 1000 years later, a younge man, one of the enhanced, goes to find the group that cut themselves off from the rest. SetoxJoey....
1. The Future Is Bleak

Hello all! Its been a while since I've written anything. Actually, the last time I posted a fic on here, it was an original, so yeah….  
  
This is actually my first fanfic. But this has been in my head for a while, rotating and causing destruction. I has to get it out somehow….Defiantly futuristic sci-fi, possibly fantasy. Imagine a future world with people living in space….I'm not sure how this story will go. I'm thinking shounen-ai. Possible lemon? Maybe…we'll just have to see. I'm afraid that this story will b slightly cliché, given the fandom. SetoxJoey is possible. JoeyxSeto is even more possible. They're at least the main characters….  
  
"Normal speech"  
  
'Thoughts'  
  
"Language other than English….but still typed in English"  
  
Well, that's about it…enjoy. Disclaimer? I own two things…jack and squat.  
  
Chapter 1 : The Future Is Bleak  
  
Humans have always strived for perfection, whether physical or mental. Harsh programs of training, studying, and beautifying has been a part of human life since the beginning of time. As technology became more advanced, it became possible for humans to increase their efforts for perfection. Eventually, this lead to playing god….  
  
Controversial, yes. But genetic engineering seemed the best way to achieve this dream. Altering DNA before a child was born would almost guarantee financial, academic, and other kinds of successes. After a while, this method gained popularity, becoming commonplace. Those who couldn't afford such procedures for their children became targets for persecution. Those who weren't enhanced, called "normals", were left almost no chance to make a living. Almost all jobs were given to the "enhanced", only leaving the jobs of servitude for those who were not. Eventually, the normals grew tired of this, and almost all left the cities and towns they lived in, moving out to the wildernesses, choosing to live simpler lives. 1000 years later, we see how the divided human race is faring….  
  
"You do know that they're just a legend….right?" a young woman asked. She was addressing a tall young man, dressed rather flashy, in a long black coat, black pants and boots. Around his neck was a blue choker that matched his startling blue eyes. His neatly groomed brown hair fell over his collar in the back. On his back rested the strangest thing about him : light blue dragon wings.  
  
The two were standing in an elevator, one with a magnificent view. The transparent walls clearly showed the outside, which included a view of the planet they were now orbiting. For several hundred years now, humans have inhabited the space around the planet. It was necessary due to the over population of Earth. Currently, projects were in the works to create a suitable place for humans to live on several of Jupiter's moons. Mars and Venus had already been terra-formed. But back to our story….  
  
The man sighed.  
  
"I know, that's what they say. I'm going to prove them wrong. I've seen them…they're out there." He turned to the woman, who was wearing a very high skirt, along with a matching low cut top and a jacket. Her skirt and jacket matched, as did her boots, which were silver with 3" heels. Like her companion, she also had wings, but they were like that of a hawks.  
  
"Listen, I've heard enough. I'm going, and that's final. Now if you'll excuse me, I'll be preparing for my flight." The elevator came to a stop, the doors opening out to the first floor of an impressive building. This place was Kaiba Corp. This company was the main reason for the development of space technologies, including the terra-forming of the planets. It had been in operation for over 1000 years, changing names, locations, and basic industry several times, but remaining the same for the most part.  
  
The young man, owner of the company, Seto, stepped out of the elevator. He gave a backwards glance to his assistant, smirking a bit.  
  
"You're welcome to join me if you like, Mai….I know you've always wanted to go planet side."  
  
Mai looked down, thinking. She had never been to the planet, having been born and raised on various space ships and colonies. For her, it would possibly be a dream come true. She looked back up, matching the young businessman's smirk  
  
"Depends…will I get paid?" She then laughed and followed. Despite his outward appearance, Seto could be nice at times. She knew this all to well. It was him who took care of her after she lost her family. She caught up to him, grinning.   
  
"So, when do we leave? It's going to take me some time to pack with all the things I have to bring…OOOoo, and I have to go shopping at least once. What are we waiting for? Let's go already!" The excited woman bounce several times. She and her friend walked out the doors of the building and out into the waiting limo. From the entrance of the building, you could see the colony's vast city. Buildings reached towards the artificial sky, and the farther you looked, the more you could see the curve of the massive construction. As Mai looked upon the scenery, she decided it was defiantly time for a change.  
  
Well, whatcha' think? I'm really hoping for some reviews on this one. I know its not the best out there, but constructive criticism could help….More coming soon! I'm hoping for 5 reviews, but its no mandatory… 


	2. The Simple Life

Wow,at this point, I've gotten 5 reviews. I honestly wasn't expecting as many. Thanks!  
  
Hmm,what do I say now? I don't really have anything..oh! I'll try to update regularly. I'm itching to get this one out, so you're all in luck!  
  
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Leaves rustled in the wind. Sun filtered through the trees to reach the forest floor. Birds were singing, and everything was quite. Then, I sharp cry rose up. The sounds of several sometihngs running was heard through the trees. As the creatures ran, one tripped, falling to the ground. Laughing, his companion stopped and looked at him.  
  
"Aw man,that's it? Thought you were gonna 'kick my butt' this time."   
  
The young man grinned down at his friend. He had brown hair, short in back, but came to a point in the front. He was fairly tall, and was dressed in a simple pair of blue shorts. He laughed again, and extended a hand to his friend, who looked at him balefully, swatting it away. He sat up, running a hand through his golden hair, picking the leaves out of it. Like his friend he was dressed simply in shorts, obviously handmade. Both were shirtless and barefoot. Their bared chests and arms showed proof of a life of hard work and strength. The blond looked up at his friend, squinting with his honey-colored eyes.  
  
"Yeah, yeah. Somethin' tripped me¼" He stood up, stretching and looking around. A sound behind him caught his attention.  
  
"You hear that?" His voice was tinted with concern. That noise didn't move right.They moved back, a bit frightened. It wasn't often they found something in their forest they couldn't identify. They heard the noise again.  
  
"Okay," the brown-haired boy whispered. "That's not right, we should get out of here." His friend nodded.   
  
They took to the trees, an easy task for them after their many years of practice. They jumped, almost silently, from branch to branch, heading in the opposite direction of the sounds, and towards their home village. There were several in the immediate area, all very primitive by outside standards. Their buildings were anything but traditional, something believed to be part of their alienation from the 'enhanced'. Made of wood, stone, or earth, the structures were usually rounded, with several rooms. Most villages were built on the ground, but some were in the trees or even underground. Theirs was one of the few treetop villages in the area.  
  
It took several minutes to get back to the village. They jumped down to the boardwalk, just inside the boundary of the village. They stood, panting. In their fright, they'd moved faster then they thought they could. The blond turned to his friend, wiping sweat from his brow.  
  
"Wh-what the heck was that? That wasn't an animal....."  
  
The brunette shook his head, "You're right about that, it was way too noisy. Do¼do ya think it might have been one of them? I mean, you've heard the rumors...."  
  
" I dunno¼but we should probably tell someone..ACK!"  
  
The blond spun around, trying to find whatever had just scared him more then he already was. He came face to face with a rather short boy with tri-colored hair with blond spikes in front. He was wearing shorts like them, but he also wore a black vest and leather shoes. He smirked at his friends reaction.  
  
"Geez Joey...what's up? Didn't know tapping a person on the shoulder would scare them so much¼"  
  
The blond, Joey, snorted at the comment. He brushed his sweaty hair out of his face and turned to his other friend, then to the newcomer.  
  
"Hey, uh, where's your grandpa? We gotta tell him something.."  
  
The boy looked at him, considering. Certainly, if they would tell his grandfather, they would tell him. What could it be.....  
  
"He's in the council room. I think he's pretty busy, but if I go with you, you'll get in sooner."   
  
Joey smiled. "Thanks man. I owe ya one. Ok, let's go" With that, they headed off.  
  
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They walked along the boardwalk in the trees, passing houses, stores, and children at play. Everyone had their specialty. There were artisans, clothes makers, builders, and just about anything else you would need in a simple place like this. But what this society lacked, however, was what all civilized people had in human's past : an army. It had been that way forever as far as they were all concerned. The first humans to go back to the forests did away with them. They wished to live peacefully, in harmony. Plus, the main reason people started genetic engineering was to increase a soldiers ability to kill.  
  
The three walked across a long rope bridge that was connected to a large tree. This was the center of town, where all the townspeople and leaders did major business and trades, also where they made major decisions. The main building was actually carved out of the massive tree. It was made in just a way that the tree would still grow, even though it had been cut into. They walked through the main entrance, which had ornate carvings around the opening. They walked up the main stairway, and walked through the massive doorway of the council room, the guards bowing out of the way of the one who was the next in line to be leader.  
  
The village chief, Sugoroku, caught sight of them, rising from his seat that overlooked the entire room.  
  
"Yami..Joey, Tristan..... what brings you here like this?"  
  
The tri-color haired boy turned to his friends, motioning them forward. They were slightly nervous. Although they knew him quite well, they had never addressed him officially like this. Joey stepped forward, looking at his feet.  
  
"I..um..Well, me and Tris were out in the woods, and we heard this weird noise. It didn't seem like something that lived around here ya know. So,we, uh, thought we'd tell ya about it. Everyone's heard the rumors and everything....."  
  
Joey was still looking at the ground, but Sugoroku was looking at him with interest. He cleared his throat, walking up to them.  
  
"I'm glad you said something. I'll look into it, but I'm really sure it's nothing. So, don't worry. You can all go now......"  
  
Joey and Tristan nodded and walked towards the door. Yami was begging to walk away when his grandfathers voice stopped him.   
  
"Yami....I need to talk to you."  
  
Yami turned around and waited for his grandfather to speak. Sugoroku sighed, leaning on the staff he held.   
  
"Yami, I need you to go to Linsaia(1) and make a report to the counsel there. This could be trouble¼"  
  
Yami stood in confusion, not quite understanding.  
  
"What do you mean? They just heard a noise..ooo, scary. Has something like this happened before?"  
  
"Yes. Every time someone one has made a report like that, someone had disappeared. That's what happened to your father¼"  
  
Sugoroku closed his eyes, thinking of his lost son. He had vanished after such a report. And Sugoroku could have stopped it. He looked at Yami pleadingly. The boy nodded, a sad look on his face.  
  
"Right. I'll go right away."  
  
With that, he briskly walked through doorway to prepare for his journey.  
  
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(1)the largest city of the area, thought to be the center of their society.   
  
Well, how was it? I'm scared it was a little weird¼and is Yami a bit out of character? I guess I'll let you decide. Later! 


	3. Flight of Freedom

Yay! You like me! You really like me! Thanks to all the reviewers. You really keep me going.  
  
One note, however. I chose to use their dub names because I've set the forest villages they live in in America. Remember, this culture came from our own. How many dudes do you know named Jou, hmm? Yeah…I'm not being sarcastic or complaining, I just though you'd all like to know why.  
  
Also, our normal humans have developed their own language, but they still speak English or Japanese…whichever area they live in. I wasn't sure if I'd mention that in the fic, so I figured I tell you all now….on to the story!  
  
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"I don't like this place. Earth is so…weird! When are we going home? At least back to the house?"  
  
Seto was beginning to regret bringing along his brother, Mokuba, on this expedition. All the kid did was whine! The two dragon boys were currently deep in the forests of North America. This was were the most reports of "normals' were reported. The forests were actually protected by law, but money can get you places.  
  
The boys were accompanied by their best and strongest body guards, who were weighed down by supplies they might need for the trip. So far, there had been no sign of anything other than animals in this place. It was nearing sundown. They might have to camp out for the night. Seto stopped suddenly, looking around.  
  
"Did any of you hear that? It sounded like talking…." His companions stopped, listening. Mokuba did the same, scrunching up his face.  
  
"I didn't hear anything. It was probably just a squirrel or something."  
  
Seto shook his head, flaring out his wings. This was one of the good things about Earth; plenty of free space to fly. Today he was dressed in a simple t-shirt and shorts, perfect for hiking and flying.  
  
"You guys stay here. I'm going to take a look from above." With that, he began beating his wings, then jumped into the air. His wings lifted him into the air, above the trees. He flew higher, into the clouds, enjoying the moment. He performed stunning acrobatics with ease, slicing through the clouds at full speed. It ended to soon though. He made his decent to check the area. He looked around for a few minutes, not seeing much of anything. He heard a rustle of leaves and turned to investigate. Nothing. But as he was about to turn away and head back, he saw it. Moving through the trees with natural grace. He watched more, noticing blond hair and a bare upper body. Defiantly   
  
human. He flew swiftly back to the group. This was his chance.  
  
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Joey made his was through the trees. Someone had informed him that his sister had went off with that Ryuji boy. For Ryuji's sake, he'd better not find them..  
  
The person who told him said they headed in this direction. This way lead to a notorious place for 'lovers'. He was not happy about that. He made his way silently through the trees, finding to pair. Rather then jump them right then, he waited, wanting to see just what was going on. For now, they were just talking.  
  
Ryuji cupped her face in his hands, speaking softly, "Serenity, you know, I've liked you for a long time..and I, well..I wanted to know if you'd be mine.." Serenity blushed and looked away.  
  
"Of course..but, you know my brother doesn't like you very much.." Joey stifled a snort.  
  
"I know. But he doesn't matter. What matters is us." He cupped her face again, bringing them closer together in what would be a kiss. Ryuji tilted his head and closed his eyes in preparation. An was promptly tackled to the ground.  
  
Ryuji screamed as he fell, and was silenced by hitting the ground and having the wind knocked out of him. Joey landed a few feet away. While Ryuji lie gasping for breath, Serenity jumped out of the trees and ran to his side. She turned to her brother, anger clearly shown on her face. "Joey! What do you think you're doing?"  
  
Joey shrugged, walking up to them. "Protecting my little sis, what else? I'm telling ya, he's no good. Besides, its dangerous out here now. We need to head back."  
  
He stooped, picking Ryuji up by the shoulders and turning him to face him. "You'd better run..fast." With that, he released him. Ryuji stood, slightly stunned. Then he nodded and ran off. Joey turned to his sister.  
  
"We need to get out of here. I think 'they're' out here.."  
  
Serenity blinked, confused. Then she realized what her brother was saying.  
  
"For real? Have they actually seen them?"  
  
"Not yet, but I don't want to take any chances." He took her hand and they scaled one of the nearby trees together. The moved swiftly, not wanting to be caught by 'them'. Not far from the village, they stopped to rest. Climbing tees like that wasn't easy. As they sat panting, something was heard walking through the forest. Serenity, who was on a lower branch, looked up at her brother. "Joey.."  
  
Joey waved a hand, silencing her. He watched in the direction of the noise, but saw nothing. A scream from his sister alerted him to danger. She fell out of the tree, and hit the ground with a thud. Something had knocked her out of the tree.  
  
In a flash, people were on her. They spoke English ; obviously 'enhanced' humans. Joey was paralyzed with fear. He'd never seen people like this before. They didn't look normal, and two of them had wings. He watched as the bigger of the winged ones walked over to his sister and picked her up by the hair. That was the last straw, and for the second time that day, he launched himself out of the tree to attack the person that was holding his sister.  
  
The winged boy saw the attack coming and dodged it easily. He let go of the girls hair and restrained her by her arms, twisting them painfully behind her back. In his motion, he lost sight of the blond.   
  
Joey had moved behind the winged boy. He was now holding a rather large rock, getting ready to throw it. He pulled his arm back and threw the rock with all of his strength. It hit the winged boy in the back, causing him to release Serenity in pain. He turned to see his body guards were on top of the boy, holding him to the ground. He was screaming in a language he'd never heard before.  
  
"Serenity, eam ku sede ku tui mer!"  
  
The girl nodded, running up to a tree and climbing it easily. The winged boy walked up to his body guards, ordering them to stand the boy up. When they did, Seto moved to get a better look. The boy was still struggling although he was greatly outmatched. He was screaming and twisting in their arms, trying to get away. He stilled when Seto move closer, glaring at him with all his might.  
  
Seto smirked. This had definitely been a good night. He pulled out his phone and quickly dialed a number.  
  
"Mai, we have one. Prepare a room. We'll be home later tonight." With that he put up his phone, shoving it into his pocket. He went over to the bags everyone had dropped before.   
  
"Hold his head. I don't want him struggling."  
  
Joey began to panic. They held his head to the side, obstructing his view of the other boy. He felt a prick on his neck, then the cool sensation of something being injected. Then he knew no more.  
  
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How was it? Good yes? I still can believe I'm getting reviews. dances Unfortunately, I'll be gone over the weekend, so you'll have to wait a bit for the next chapter. Sorry its so short. I could've continued, but this seemed like a good place to end it. 


	4. Awakenings

-Squeals!- Thank you all so much! You reviews really keep me going. I didn't really expect so many people to like my story, let alone review like they have.  
  
I noticed that fanfiction.net goes wiggy on some of my punctuation marks, thus the fraction things in the earlier chapters. I'll try to watch that from now on.  
  
'Luke, I am your father' = Thoughts  
  
"Nooooo!" = normal speech  
  
When Joey talks to Seto, he'll be speaking his own language. But when Joey thinks, it'll be in English for your convenience.  
  
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Sometimes it was fun to be alone. When you're alone, you can act goofy and make weird noises all you want. And that's just what Joey was doing. He was splashing around in a small creek, the water providing cool relief on the hot and humid day. He was originally going to fish, but fell in as soon as he got to the edge. That was another good thing about being alone : no one was there to see him screw up. When he finally hit the water after sliding down the bank and screaming like an idiot, he was muddy all along his backside. It was then he decided to forget the fishing and just began splashing around, trying to get clean.  
  
Joey crawled out of the water, shaking the water off of his body. He stretched his arms up toward the sky, laughing at himself. He could be stupid at times, but he was alright. He ran a hand through his hair, beginning to walk off towards the village, not noticing the eerie green tint the sky had taken on.  
  
He walked that route he'd taken many times before, not much paying attention to the scenery. A flash of lightning caught his eye, and he looked up to see the angry-looking storm clouds above him. He then noticed the trees around him. They were tall, no branches close to the ground. This was not his forest.   
  
'Where am I? Crap…It's getting windy…'  
  
He ran as fast as he could. At this point, he didn't know where he was going. He just knew he had to get away. The wind howled around him, leaves swirled in the gale. Lightning flashed furiously, as if the gods themselves had been angered. Joey kept running, until he finally had to stop. He frantically looked around, trying desperately to find shelter. It was then he noticed a figure not far in front of him. He squinted at it, finally walking closer to get a better look.  
  
He was several feet away when he saw that the figure was indeed human. Lightning flashed again and allowed Joey to see that the figure held a sword above his head. The person lowered the sword, turning his face toward Joey. Lightning flashed again, illuminating his face. Blue eyes glimmered in the light, and silvery wings were silhouetted behind him. Joey's eyes widened in surprise.  
  
'It's him!' Joey thought, 'It's the guy that ..wait ..if that's true, then ..what the heck's goin' on here?!'  
  
He questions were left unanswered. His eyes were still fixed on the figure in front of him. The winged boy held the sword upright, the tip of the blade making sparks. Another flash of lightning, and the sword ha turned into a torch, its flame burning brightly in the darkness. The winged boy smirked before flaring his wings and taking to the sky. Joey watched him as he flew. The boy stopped, somehow a huge city below him. Joey looked at it, disbelieving. That was Linsaia, the main city of normal humans. The winged boy tossed the torch into the city, laughing as it was engulfed by flames. Joey watched too, his breath catching in his throat. He couldn't breath and he was sweating. The fire moved to engulf him as well, but his feet seemed to be glued to the forest floor..  
  
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He was awoken by snoring, his own in fact. He scrunched up his face, remembering the dream.  
  
'Just a dream Joey, just a dream..crap..that dude..' He cracked open an eye, then opened the other, blinking the sleep out of them. He felt awful. Tranquilizers will do that to you. He raised a hand to rub his eyes, sitting up at the same time. He looked around, taking in his surroundings. He had never seen a place like this before.  
  
He was in a huge bed, softer then any he'd ever known. The blankets covering him were the same, softer than he'd ever imagined. The room was dark, so he couldn't see much beyond that. A noise to the left startled him, making him jump back a bit, pulling the blankets up to his chest. A light came on and someone spoke.  
  
"Hn. Didn't think you'd ever wake up.."  
  
After Joey's eyes adjusted to the light, he looked up at the person. It was, of course, the winged boy from before. He was dressed in fancier clothing than before. A black, long coat covered his shoulders and chest. Black pants covered his legs, and his black boots were slightly platformed, at least by three inches. Chains adorned them, making little noises every time he moved. His wings were visible, folded up against his back.  
  
The winged boy reached a hand towards Joey, speaking in his own language that Joey didn't understand. Joey backed away from the hand, glaring at its owner the best he could and attempting to growl. The hand moved away and the winged boy sighed.  
  
"What is you problem? Nevermind..What's your name anyway?" Joey looked at him, shaking his head, try to indicate that he didn't understand. The boy pointed to himself saying 'Seto', then looked to Joey, expecting him to say something. So he did.  
  
"E wiri kannabina erin eaud hanakete." I don't understand what you're saying..  
  
Joey shrugged, feeling that he'd conveyed himself fairly well. Hopefully the boy would just leave him alone. Yeah right..  
  
Instead, the boy moved closer, kneeling on the bed. Joey watched him wide-eyed, moving back until he was almost at the edge of the bed. He watched as the boy pointed to himself, again saying 'Seto', then pointed to him. Joey though for a minute, trying to figure out what he was trying to tell him. It was hard to think; his brain was still affected by the drugs. It didn't take him very long to figure it out, though.  
  
"Joey,," he said, pointing to himself, "Ni sead cu Joey."  
  
The winged boy, Seto, as Joey had determined, nodded and moved off the bed. Joey watched him as he walked around the bed, moving towards the door. He turned to Joey, speaking boroe walking out the door.  
  
" I'll bring you some food and a change of clothing. Stay where you are." With that, he was gone.  
  
Joey shrugged. Whatever, he hadn't understood any of it anyway. He threw back the covers, standing up and stretching. He looked around, taking in all of the fancy furniture. A huge mirror hung on the wall in front of the bed, a desk was near the huge windows on the far side of the room. Various dressers were pushed up against the walls and a chair was pulled up next to the bad where Seto had been sitting while he waited. A door was behind him, he moved to investigate.  
  
He opened the door, and gasped at what he saw. A huge marble and stone bathroom was before him. A marble sink sat next to a toilet. Beyond that, a large tub was sunk into the floor. It was filled with water, and jets were causing the water to bubble up. Beyond that, a stone shower that looked like a waterfall stood against the wall. The water cascaded down the wall, pooling t the bottom. He moved toward it, wanting to get a closer look, but he was stopped short from a hand on his shoulder. He jumped to the side, pressing himself against the wall to get away. He glared at the violator ; Seto glared back calmly as ever. He turned and walked away, speaking.  
  
"I brought you some food. Come out here if you want to eat."  
  
Joey glared after him, not moving from his place at the wall. He then sighed, lowering his head and walking out. It seemed he would have to swallow his pride for the time being. He walked slowly into the room. He saw that a small tray had been set up on the bed. Good smelling food, and lots of it, lay steaming n the plates. He noticed Seto had moved back to the chair. He watched Joey's every move from there, much to Joey's annoyance. But Joey gave into his hunger pains, sitting on the bed and digging in.   
  
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Joey sat back, sighing and wiping his mouth. That was good alright! He leaned against the headboard, looking at Seto, who had watched him the entire time. The winged boy stood up and removed the tray, putting it near the door. Joey closed his eyes, trying not to think about anything ; his home, his sister and that creep..his dream. His thoughts about thoughts were interrupted when he found himself pinned to the headboard and the bed. His eyes flew open in fright, looking at Seto for a split second before struggling. They wrestled on the bed, hands and feet going every which way. Eventually, Joey felt himself restrained again. His arms were being held to his sides and his legs were being held together. He was still wiggling, tying to get away. He eventually gave up, looking up to glare at Seto. He looked back a Joey, regarding him coolly. He flared out his wings, bringing the forward, shading Joey from the light while bringing Joey up closer to his chest. Seto examined Joey's face, wanting to get a closer look at a normal human. So far, they didn't look like anything special.  
  
Joey watched Seto for a bit before getting bored and closing his eyes. He was waaay too comfortable. Eventually, is breathing evened out and his limb relaxed as he fell asleep.  
  
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Well, how was it? As always, thanks for the reviews. And please do review, it makes me happy! 


	5. Shocking

Another yay for my reviewers. Tank yoo! I'll try to start writing longer chapters, but that might result in later updates. I don't know if I can win with this one…  
  
About that language Joey speaks. Yeah, I made it up. Microsoft Works doesn't like it though. It kept auto spell-checking on me…  
  
If there is anything you'd like to see in the story, let me know. I'm not at a loss for writing (yet), but any suggestions would be appreciated. Now..on to the fic!  
  
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Joey woke up slowly, so comfortable he didn't want to move. He groaned, rolling over and burying his head into the pillows. His comfort didn't last long, however, as he suddenly remembered the events of the past day. He sat straight up in bed, looking around wildly for the winged boy, Seto. He sighed as he found that he was alone. He reached up a hand to scratch his neck, finding something in the way. He narrowed his eyes, feeling the foreign object around his neck. He paled as he realized what it was : a collar.  
  
Joey scowled and began pulling at the thing, trying to rip it off in panic. He then got his wits about him and tried to find the buckle. Upon succeeding, him tried to undo it, getting a nasty shock, literally. He gave up, groaning. This was going to be a bad day.  
  
He got up, stretching. He noticed a change of clothes on the foot of the bed. They seemed nice, nothing at all like what he'd worn before, but still nice : a plain t-shirt, a pair of jeans, and shoes and socks.   
  
"What the heck do you people want?" he wondered aloud. He scratched his head, walking towards the bathroom. A change of clothes would be good, but he'd just get a shower first.  
  
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Seto walked briskly up the stairs, trailing his chattering brother behind him. Mokuba had woken him up early that morning, begging to see the blond. Even now, he was still chatting away, making plans for what they would do with the boy.  
  
"This is so cool! I can't believe we found one..are we gonna be on t.v.? What are we gonna do with him? Do you think he's ever been outside the forest? Oh! We should take him for a tour around the world. Oh! Even better! We should take him home, up to the colonies. Do you think he even knows people are up there? Wow, this is so cool! Hey Seto.."  
  
"Mokuba, quite, please." As much as he loved his brother, he could get annoying after awhile. After ascending the stairs, he walked down a hallway and stopped in front of a door. He turned to his brother, who looked like he might burst from the excitement.  
  
"Mokuba, why don't you go downstairs and start eating breakfast." Seto rolled his eyes at his brothers disappointed look, knowing the argument about to come.  
  
"But..Seto.."  
  
"I'll bring him down after while. He might be nervous right now, you might scare him." Mokuba gave him one last look before slowly walking away and down the stairs, mumbling. Seto smiled a bit; h really loved that kid. He turned to the door, pressing in a number code on the keypad that allowed the door to be locked from the outside. After the code was entered, he opened the door and stepped in, looking for the blond human. He wasn't in sight, but he heard the sound of a shower coming from the bathroom. He walked to the door, listening closer. Yep, the shower. He sighed, resigning himself to leaning against the wall, waiting.  
  
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After quite a bit of trouble getting the shower to work right, Joey was now enjoying the warm cascade of water that fell like a water fall. No matter where he was, playing in the water was always fun. He picked up one of the bottles sitting beside the shower, hoping that it was something like the soap they'd used in their villages. After lathering up his body and hair, he leaned against the wall, considering his situation. Would he get to go home? Would these people try to keep him there? And if they did, could he escape? Heck, he couldn't even speak with them. He know regretted not taking those language classes. They had been giving classes on the old languages of humans, but he figured they were useless. Boy was he wrong..  
  
He sighed and pushed away from the wall, moving to stand under the rush of water. He grinned stupidly as his stomach gave an angry growl. Food time. He stepped away from the waterfall, shaking off the excess water from his body, searching for a towel. He found one and rubbed his hair with it before wrapping it around his waist. He shook his head one more time, then opened the door and walked out. He was about halfway out, the yelled and jumped to the side. Seto just standing their scared him badly..  
  
Seto smirked at the reaction, pushing away from the wall. He walked past the still freaked blond to the foot of the bed, picking up the clothes and shoving them into Joey's arms.  
  
"Hurry up. I'm hungry and it's time for breakfast."  
  
Joey just stared. When was this guy gonna figure out that he didn't speak English? He rolled his eyes, taking the clothes. He dropped them on the bed, then turned to Seto, speaking and motioning to him to leave.  
  
"E tuh'd haat ah yiteahla" I don't need an audience..  
  
Seto of course didn't understand, and just stared quizzically while Joey sighed. He was about to physically move the blue eyed boy when the shirt was grabbed from behind him and forced over his head. Perfect.  
  
Joey began to struggle, but his efforts were hampered by the shirt blocking his view, so he quickly finished putting it on. He popped his head out of the shirt, already yelling at the other boy. I didn't seem to help though, as the boy grabbed the jeans and reached for the towel around Joey's waist. The blond swatted at his hand, backing away as much as he could before hitting the bed. He continued yelling and trying to get away, but Seto blocked his path. He grabbed the blonds towel, yanking it off then shoved the pants into his arms. Joey stopped yelling in shock, moving to cover himself while blushing furiously.  
  
Seto walked away, feeling that he'd made his point. He walked to the other side of the room, keeping his back to Joey to give him some privacy. He heard movement and the rustle of clothing behind him. He then heard the blond speak and turned around, looking him over. He was a lot better looking than he though he would, being a normal human. His blond hair shimmered in the light, and his muscles were well defined. His eyes were a beautiful honey color and sparkled with life and fire. That boy was now glaring at him, now fully dressed and waiting for whatever he would throw at him next. Seto felt slightly guilty for doing that to him, but he needy to hurry or else his little brother would be coming up there soon to check on them. Set walked to the door, motioning Joey to follow him. Joey did, a forlorn expression on his face. He was not having a good time..  
  
---------------  
  
Mokuba looked up as his brother walked into the dining room. He had begun to worry about him after hearing all the screaming. His worries were forgotten when he spied the blond walk in behind him. He had to stop himself from jumping up and asking a million questions. So, he waited for his brother to seat the boy, then take his own seat. He then started talking a mile a minute..  
  
"What were you doing up there? You said you didn't want to make him nervous..well, what was all that screaming? And why does he have a collar on? By the way, we're having pancakes for breakfast. I wonder what they eat for breakfast. Can you ask him? Does he speak our language? He looks cool.."  
  
Seto watched as his brother jumped up from his chair and walked over to the blond, who was refusing to make eye contact with anyone. Mokuba stood next to him for a moment before reaching up a hand and gently touching his hair. Joey looked at him out of the corner of his eye, then raised his head to watch the young boy. Mokuba stared into his face, looking him over. He then reached up with both hands, touching either side of Joey's face. Joey gave him a weird look, but didn't move to stop him. When he was finished with that, mokuba turned to his brother.  
  
"I don't see anything different about him. Are you sure he's..ya know.." Seto sighed. He'd heard a lot of this lately. Here was physical proof sitting in front of them, and still no one would believe it.  
  
"Yes Mokuba, I'm sure. We'll even do medical exams to prove it."  
  
"Ok..Hey, I bet he's never seen anything like this!" The young boy flared out his wings, flapping them several times. He looked up at Joey, grinning madly. "Watch this!"  
  
With that, he took off into the air. He couldn't go far, seeing as they were inside, but the high ceilings of the dining room provided enough space to show off a bit. Mokuba zoomed around the room, doing flips and somersaults, truly enjoying himself. Joey watched him with curiosity. He had always wanted to fly like that..  
  
Mokuba finally landed, panting a bit. Joey grinned at him. "Beon hanufora." Very awesome..  
  
Mokuba blinked, not sure what Joey had said, but he decided to take it as a compliment. He grinned and was about to speak, but the doors leading from the kitchen were opened and threes severs came out, each carrying a tray. Joey watched as they set the food before him. If it was one thing he liked, it was food. He grinned, seeing that there was a big portion of pancakes, not to mention lots of syrup and orange juice. As far as breakfast, pancakes were his favorite. After pouring a generous amount of syrup on the cakes, he dug in.  
  
The dragon boys watched in amazement. How could someone eat like that? He was practically inhaling his food, every now and then stopping to take a drink of juice. He finished his meal in no time, emitting a burp and leaning back on his chair. Oh yeah..that was good..  
  
-----------------  
  
As Mokuba and Seto were finishing their own food, a door opened and a person walked in to join them. When the person sat down, Joey saw that it was a fairly attractive young blond woman, dressed in sleep pants and a tight shirt. She looked tired and had obviously just woken up. After she sat down, she called over a servant, talking to him. Joey couldn't help but look at her. She was very pretty. The servant walked away, and Mai turned her head, making eye contact with Joey. He blushed, having been caught starting. He quickly lowered his head. Mai chuckled and shook her head, she was used to that sort of thing after all. She turned to Seto, smiling a bit.  
  
"So, what's the plan for today? Are you going to need me for anything? I've kind of already planned my day.." Seto nodded his head. She wasn't really there for any real reason. He let come along because she wanted to. And why not let her? That's what friends are for. "That's fine. I was going to take him to one of the medical facilities here and get him checked out. I'll need DNA proof for this one. Plus we need to make sure his not diseased or anything.."  
  
They didn't speak for a few minutes, even after Mai's food was brought out : a cinnamon roll drenched in frosting. Joey was slightly disappointed..cinnamon rolls were his favorite food too. After a few minutes more, Mai looked up at Joey, then at Seto, a question obvious in her eyes. "Why did you put a collar on him?"  
  
"It's a tracking device. If he decides to escape, I can locate him through it." Mokuba looked up, taking the last drink of his orange juice. "Yeah, but can't he just take it off?"  
  
"No. It shocks him when he tried to undo the buckle." The two nodded, satisfied for now. Mai once again ate in silence before Seto spoke up.  
  
"So what exactly do you have planned for today anyway?" Mai smiled, getting all giggly at the though of her plans.   
  
"I'm going to check out all the local sites, natural and man made. After I'm finished there..shopping!"  
  
"Do you think you could..take Mokuba with you? By any chance?"  
  
Both Mai and Mokuba blinked. The kid didn't need a babysitter! But then again, he would get pretty bored here by himself..Mai nodded.  
  
"I guess. If its ok with the kid anyway.." She turned to Mokuba, "Are you ok with that?" Mokuba shrugged. "I guess..whatever."  
  
Mai nodded, turning back to her roll. She came face to face with Joey, who had draped himself across the table in an attempt to get the sugary pastry. At being caught, he blushed sheepishly, then settled back into his own chair, giving her puppy-eyes. She laughed.  
  
"This is going to be an interesting vacation."  
  
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Well, there ya go. A little longer than the other chapters. It might take me a bit longer to update. I've suddenly got a lot of things to do..poopie. 


	6. The Doctor Is In

Ok! Sorry for the late update. Stuff man….I've been working 9 hours every Saturday….that's my writing night. Blarg…here ya go….  
  
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Now fully clothed and fully feed, Joey followed the dragon boy through the mansion. The place was a lesson of excess, everything from the carpet to the lavish sculptures were as luxurious as you could imagine. He was brought out of his amazed stares by the sound and sight of huge doors opening to the outside. Sunlight filtered through, and he could see trees and flowers, much like those from his home.   
  
'Hmm…that must mean I'm not far from home. I wonder…' He fell rather far behind Seto, now anxious to escape. It was nice here, but it wasn't home. He walked outside, several feet behind the other boy. He looked around, noticing a limo, something he'd never seen before. Although he was curious about it, the trees of his home were very close. There was only one other person outside, and that was the driver holding the door of the limo open. He fell back a bit more, then made a break for it.  
  
Seto heard the boy bolt for the trees. He watched his back, calmly putting a hand in his coat pocket and pressing a button on a small remote. He winced as the blond cried out, a shock from his collar sending pain through his body. He stumbled before tripping and falling to the ground, panting. Seto sighed, he had hoped that he didn't have to do that. He shrugged, then motioned to his driver to go get the blond.   
  
The winged boy stepped into the limo, setting down and getting comfortable. The driver walked up to the open door, dragging the dazed blond and sat him in the car before slamming to door. Seto watched Joey, who was shaking a bit from the shock. Seto said something to the boy, his face showing no emotion. But from the tone of his voice, he could have sworn it was an apology.  
  
Joey jumped as the car engine started up. To him, it now seemed that he was in the belly of a beast….He looked out the window cautiously as the car began to move. The car began moving faster, trees zoomed by as they rode along the long driveway of the mansion. He was still shaking from the shock, but he felt well enough to jump up and move to the other side of the limo to get a different view of the land. He moved several times during the trip, each time causing Seto to smirk in amusement at his excited antics.  
  
-----------------------  
  
After 30 minutes, the limo came to a stop outside of what looked like a plain doctors office. The driver hopped out of the car and raced around to open the door for his employer. Seto stepped out, dragging the reluctant blond with him. Joey resisted as much as he could, but when he found himself standing on the ground, he gave it up. He looked around, noticing the building. It was fairly plain and made out of brick. It seemed that they were pretty far away from civilization; all you could see was one lone road and dense forest. He turned around when he heard the slam of the car door, noticing that Seto was walking up the stairs. Joey raised his hand to his collar, thinking about trying to run again…Nope, not worth the pain. So, he followed Seto, cautiously, up the short steps and into the office.  
  
Inside was white and sterile, just like a normal doctor's office. There was a window which the receptionist sat behind and no one in the waiting room. Joey lingered in the door a moment longer, watching as Seto walked up to the window and began talking with the girl. He walked over to a table in the center of the room and picked up a magazine. He flipped through it, looking at the pictures. He was really starting to regret skipping that English class..  
  
"Joey.."  
  
Seto watched as Joey dropped the magazine and walked over to him. He wondered if the boy had ever been to a doctor in his life…He walked through the door to the exam rooms, talking to the doctor along the way. The doc lead them to a rather large room in the back, ushered them in then shut the door behind them.  
  
"So…Mr. Kaiba..What do we have today?" The doctor was an average man, middle aged with graying hair. He had treated Seto since he was a child, and Seto trusted him with what he was about to ask him to do..  
  
"This boy is a normal human..I want you to prove it."  
  
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Sorry its so short…I just felt bad for the delay…after this weekend, I will absolutely update more often…I just hope I haven't lost all my fans… 


	7. Going Back

Ok! I'm back! Hopefully, this will be longer than the last chapter. Thank you guys so much for reviewing that. It really keeps me going. And now…the 7th chapter…  
  
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Cold and embarrassing. That was the situation Joey was currently in. He was stripped to his boxers and strapped to the exam table in the doctors office. He hadn't been strapped down until his started fighting them. The sight of the syringe they were going to use to take a blood sample sent him into a frenzy. He knocked over several tables while trying to escape, but he was soon caught, and now was suffering sever humiliation.  
  
Seto had disappeared soon after, and was now waiting, and feeling very bored, in the offices waiting room. It had been a half an hour since the doctor had shooed him out. They should be finished up anytime now….  
  
"Seto, we're all finished here," said the doctor as he walked through the doorway. "I'll let you go back in there to let him go…hopefully, he won't try to run off again." Seto stood up, adjusting his coat and wings.  
  
"When will the results be available?"  
  
"Oh….they should be in in about 2-3 weeks. Don't worry, we'll call you when we get them. Well, I suppose you'll be of then.."  
  
Seto nodded as he walked through the door and down the hallway to the exam room. The door was cracked open slightly, and he looked through it and saw a very unhappy human blond strapped to the table, slightly whimpering from the cold. He smirk slightly, then opened the door completely and stepped inside. The blond gave him a very dirty look: he was fairly certain it had been Seto's idea to strap him down. Whatever the case, he knew that he'd at least be getting out of there. He watched Seto as he undid the straps holding him to the table; they'd made sure that he couldn't move an inch while they examined him.  
  
Once free, he hastily moved off the table and began searching for his clothes. He found them neatly folded inside a cupboard that was in the corner of the room. After clothing himself and putting on his shoes, he looked at Seto expectantly. Seto stared back, then snorted and left the room. Joey moved hastily to follow him.  
  
They silently walked through the office and out of the building. It was getting warmer outside, and the noon sun beat down on them. Joey looked out towards the forest they were so close too. He wonder if they were looking for him. He also wondered if that certain black haired teen was staying away from his sister. A movement in the trees brought him out of his thoughts. He squinted, following the movement…a pair of eyes stared back…  
  
"HEY!"  
  
The blonde jumped at Seto's voice. He looked back at the trees, hoping to see the eyes again, but they were gone. Dejectedly, he trudged his way over to the dragon boy who was now waiting for him to get into the limo.  
  
----------------------------  
  
Yami sighed, leaning back against the boulder he was resting by. They had him. This was not good. Yami racked his brain, trying to think of way to get him back. According to Serenity, he winged one had apparently been searching for there kind. If he went in to save him, he'd be captured as well.  
  
He shook his head and stood up. He had only been sent out there to survey the situation anyway. They would have to discuss this with the elders. Yami closed his eyes in concentration. He would have to clear his mind to use any sort of magic…A light flashed out of nowhere, and a winged beast took to the sky. Once the light died down, the shape of a bird could be seen. Beautiful and golden, the huge eagle hovered in the air, waiting for its summoner to reach it.  
  
Yami made his way up the nearest tree to reach his newly summoned friend. He jumped onto his back, just behind his wings and began to get comfortable for he flight ahead of them. He leaned down, speaking into the eagle's ear.  
  
"Lets go home, Horus. And please, be quick." The eagle understood, and with a great screech, took off toward Yami's home village.  
  
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Ok…that's not really longer than the last one, is it? I've been working on it for so long…(sigh) I'm experiencing writers block. I mean, I know how the story is supposed to go, I'm just not sure how to get there. Anyway, I feel like I owe you guys an apology…reviews are always welcome… 


	8. Game Start

Holy crap I'm back! I read all of the reviews over again. Geez, I can't believe I'd given up on this. But at this point, I can't remember what I was doing with this story. But, I'll try again.

* * *

The wind stung his face as he rode the high winds with his companion. It seemed his mind was racing as fast as they were. He feared what they would have to do to get his friend back..if they could at all. His father had met a similar fate after all. Yami's eyes stung at the thought of his father, tears threatening to fall. He fought them back for the time being; no use in getting emotional now.

Minutes later, he was in sight of his village. He commanded his summoned beast, his friend, closer to the main walkway. As they descended, people moved out of their way, a bit frightened by the giant bird. Yami laughed at this before jumping from Hours's back, landing gracefully on the path. The bird gave a screech, speeding up above the trees before disappearing in a flash of light. Yami watched him go, then made his way to the counsel, all laughter gone from his face. He had been to the capital city, they had told him their plans for this situation

By this time, it was common knowledge within their population. Those years ago, when the humans split themselves into two peoples, the ones that lived on Earth came into contact with the Great Spirit. The humans apologized profusely for what their kind had do in the past. This included the problems with pollution, deforestation, and the last straw; humans making themselves unnatural. The Spirit forgave these ones, and promised to protect them as much as It could from the other humans that would see them dead. The Spirit had a request of its own however. It wanted a human mediator, someone to help it protect the humans. Since the Spirit itself was not human, how could It know what they were thinking….

To get Joey back, they were planning on making a request to the Great Spirit. They were going to ask nature itself to save him. While this seemed like a good idea, something seemed off. Yami could feel it in his being. But he had a job to do.

He walked to his home where the rest of his friends were waiting for him. As he walked inside, they jumped up from where they were sitting, eager to hear report. Tristan spoke first.

"Well? Are they going to do anything?"

Yami sighed.

"Yes. Yes they are…."

Joey's mind was racing. He knew those eyes. That was definitely Yami. And that meant that they were looking for him. Well, they had found him. Now what? They couldn't fight…so, how could they save him? Maybe they couldn't. Maybe they just wanted to have something to tell about how he was taken and never seen again…He was so lost in thought that he didn't notice that he was rocking back and forth and muttering to himself.

"Esatu….cumin…liastu nata…eh, sonnaba..teko? Hmm.."

Seto watched him curiously. In their day and age, everyone spoke the same language. It was very rare that anyone spoke the 'dead languages' anymore. Spoke? I mean even name them….

Joey was still deep in thought when Seto's cell phone rang. At hearing it, he threw himself into the corner of the car, curled up like a frightened animal. Seto gave him one last odd look before answering it.

"Hello? Yeah... we're almost there. Fine… Oh yeah? Interesting. Did you……nice. Really? Heh….Sure." He looked over at Joey, who was slowly moving his way and looking at the phone like it was a monster. He shrugged it off and went back to his conversation.

"I don't know….whatever you want….. More then likely….You did? Why?….If you want…Ok….I love you too."

With that, he turned off the phone and moved to put it in his pocket. But he didn't get far seeing as his arm was being held up by the blonde. He tried desperately to pry it from his fingers, curious as to what the device could be. Seto fought him for a few seconds before letting him have it.

Joey eyed the phone. He had heard a voice coming from it, but it didn't have a mouth. Odd… He search for the source, pressing various buttons to no avail. He had heard of humans having contraptions like this, but he never really paid attention. Never though he'd see one. Hey…this looks important. Pokes!

DING!

Thump…

And Seto couldn't hold his laughter as both blonde and phone went flying. Now, Joey was attempting to peeling himself from the ceiling. Never a dull moment.

* * *

Minutes later they arrived at the mansion. Joey stumbled out of the car; his leg as fallen asleep but good. As he shook an kicked it, Seto also exited the car. He kept a close eye on the boy. He didn't want a repeat of this mornings events.

With sufficient feeling back into his leg, Joey stood up strait and stretched, looking over at the dragon.

"Gaani?" Well?

Of course, Seto didn't understand he. Nevertheless, he walked towards the door, pushing the blonde in front of him, to much protest. As the got closer, servants scrambled to clear the way and open the door. Ah., to be rich.

As soon as they were inside, Seto was tackled by his little bother, who was chattering nonstop about the days events. Joey, suddenly bored, spun around, looking for something interesting. He found it. Down the hall, he could see a light from behind a half closed door. He walked words it slowly, not trying to bring attention to himself. He pressed himself against the wall, moving against so he wouldn't be seen. Slowly, he leaned forward, looking in. It was… her.

The blonde woman from before. She was wearing what could be described as…well, barely anything. Just a short skirt and a sleeve less shirt. To him…hotness personified. And all she as doing was reading…

Just as he was beginning to drool on himself, there was a poke on his back. Cursing to himself, he turned around. How dare someone disturb him at a time like this…He looked down to a set of big, blue, smiling eyes. Dang this kid was cute…

Mokuba, dropped his gaze.

" I didn't know if you'd like this sort of thing, but I wanted to show you something from our…well, world. So, here you go. I just got it today. It's the latest version."

He held up something to Joey, which he took carefully. It was blue, square, and looked to be something like the phone he had seen earlier. He poked at it a bit, finally unfolding it. The bottom part had buttons while the top had something black on it. Feeling around the edge, he found a switch. So, he switched it.

DING!

This time he only go halfway to throwing it across the room. He was getting better at this. He brought back down to look at it again. The black part was now light, and things were moving on it. He tried pushing a button. The screen flashed and changed. He smiled as he watched it. It was a game! Suddenly, his world narrow greatly, shrinking down to the size of one blue Gameboy. Seto shook his head.

"Great. We've lost him."

Joey began drooling.

* * *

Ok... I think that's a bit longer then they have been. I really like this story. I've found more inspiration, so that should get me writing more. Plus, I keep getting reviews from outta nowhere. I hate letting people down, so, here ya go! 


	9. To Steal That Which Was Stolen

Meh…no comments at this point. But what the heck, I'll post anyway. If you were one of my fans before the hiatus…I'm so freakin' sorry. And now to the story.

* * *

Yami finished up his explanation, feeling a bit worse then he did when he started. His friends and grandfather now sat with dumb looks on their faces. Yeah, it was a bit much to absorb. Impending war always was. Tristan was the first to speak.

"So…they're going to attack? With what? I mean…we don't have armies…"

Yami shook his head. "That's all they would tell me. But, I'm thinking they're going to do things…"

"Indirectly," Sogoroku finished. All heads in the room turned to him. "True, we don't have armies or warriors. But we do have the power of the planet on our side. Of course, I'm not sure what exactly they're planning, but you can be sure it'll include disastrous weather, earthquakes and the like."

Serenity squeaked, and two arms instantly went around her shoulders, the owners of said arms glaring at each other. Another of the friends, Anzu, rolled her eyes then spoke up. "What will this mean for us? Or the innocent people? I mean they can't all be bad…"

"True. But at this point, we can't be sure what's going to happen," Sugoroku said with a hint of sadness in his voice. "I just don't know…"

Silence filled the room as the icy fingers of dread entered their hearts. If people were going to die. was it worth it? The silence was then broken by a loud sob. All heads in the room turned to Serenity. She suddenly stood, and without looking at anyone, bolted from the hut. The ones left now had a very awful uncomfortable feel in their chests. Finally, Anzu stood.

"I'll go talk to her." With that, she walked out of the hut, turning off in the direction Serenity most likely went off in, leaving the boys in silence. Ryuuji made several hysterical noises before looking up at everyone.

"This isn't right," he cried. "Why are they going through so much trouble for one person? I mean, I want him back home too, but come on!"

"I…I think they said something about a prophecy. But, they were mumbling, and they didn't seem to open about all of this," Yami said. He sighed. "I have a really bad feeling about this."

* * *

It had now been nearly 3 hours, and Joey was still playing video games. For never having seen one before, he was oddly good at it. Also, oddly addicted. No matter what he had tried, the younger Kaiba brother had yet to pry the blonde away from it. They were now sitting in what could be called a den. It was more like a cinema though. A gigantic television screen took up the entire front wall of the room. Dark blue and purple drapes covered the rest of the walls and surrounded the screen. Several gigantic sofas and beanbags were spread out in the middle of the room. I won't even go into detail about the lighting. Joey was now sprawled out over one of the beanbags, looking probably more comfortable then he should. Mokuba was on one of the couches, watching the blonde, who hadn't quite figured out that moving on the game didn't require that he actually move.

Seto swung open the door to the room, sighing at what he saw. The kid wouldn't give up. He reached over and lowered the lights a bit, then walked to the couches. Picking up the remote, he sat next to his brother, who looked mightily distraught.

"No luck I see." "Yep", Mokuba sighed. "He's hooked."

Seto smirked. "Go help him save his game. I know how to get him away from that thing."

Mokuba did just that, taking a few seconds to assure the boy that he wasn't there to steal the thing. Joey let out more sounds of protest as the young one turned the device off, then began pulling on the blondes arm. He was too comfortable…But, he eventually gave in, letting the boy lead him to the couch to sit with him and his bother. Upon sitting, he wormed around on the seat, still amazed at how comfortable it was. He could get used to this. A few words were exchanged between the brothers, then, pointing the remote to the TV, Seto turned it on.

Joey only flinched this time, seeing as he had seen so much of this today, he was really surprised when something impossible didn't happen. He heard sounds from the device before he saw anything, but it didn't stop his curiosity. He leaned forward, trying to get a better view that he didn't really need. He picture brighten, then shapes became apparent. Then people. By this point, he knew that people couldn't really be inside the box, but the science of it all was lost on him. He really didn't know what to make of all this.

He watched as odd cartoon characters bounced around, hawking sugary candies to anyone that would listen. He also watched as oddly happy people tried to convince him to buy prescription medications that he didn't need. Music swelled dramatically, flailed joyously and all around sounded weirdly. Truly television was one of the most intriguing things he'd ever beheld.

After forever, the ads stopped, and switched over to an authorities voice declaring certain events of the day. Time for the 5 'o clock news….

Mokuba scrunched up his nose. "Why are we watching the news? We never watch the news…"

"I'm keeping up with my stocks," his brother replied, monotonously. The little one sighed. "Boooring. I'm gonna go watch a movie or something." With that, he stood up a bit too quickly. Then once he was balanced, slowly walked out of the room.

Seto paid no heed. His eyes were glued to the screen. He wasn't really looking for stock info. He listened for the story…Massive fire in the city near here…nope. Earthquake on the other side of the world…nope. Violent employee uprising at the biggest company in the colonies…sorry he missed it but still….nope. Then, he heard it. He knew he would. The media always liked to keep close tabs on his own affairs.

He sighed. Maybe the human shouldn't see this one.

* * *

Serenity ran across the wooden planks back to her house. It was empty now; it had only been her and her brother before and now…well, that was the reason she was crying. She reached the small hut, throwing back the curtain that served as the front door in this season, and ran into her brother's room. She threw herself on his bed, trying not to get tears on the blankets for fear that they might wash his scent away. The smell wasn't all that special; it just smelled of Joey and soap. Possibly of dirt too. And food from a few days ago when he decided to eat in his room at 2 in the morning. Yep. Her brother. Who she might never see again. She cried harder.

Anzu neither hurried nor took her time in following Serenity. She needed to be comforted most of all, but what could she say? They were all at a loss. She sighed, wiping a stray tear away from her face. She at least needed to look strong for this. She was just as torn up on the inside, but he wouldn't let it show.

Reaching the house, she stopped, collecting her thoughts. This wasn't going to be easy. She sighed again, smoothing out her clothes; an odd pink number that was made of a skirt and a halter top with butterfly patterns decorating it. Slowly, she pulled back the curtain and stepped inside. Following the sobbing sounds, she went to Joey's room. Serenity was kneeling on the bed, her face in her hands. Anzu walked closer then sat beside her on the bed. She put a hand on her shoulder in a weak comforting attempt which made no difference. She furrowed her brow, then started talking.

"I'm so sorry. We all are. We miss him so much. You're not alone…please, don't cry. It'll all work out…" She herself cringed at the last part, not quite believing it herself. Serenity shook her head, refusing to take comfort. She lifted her head, looking out the window.

"Once, I thought it might be fun to see one of those people. To see how different they are from us. I…I never thought they would do this…Maybe it's a good thing we live separately…" she lamented. "They probably haven't changed over all this time. They were even speaking the same language."

She stopped suddenly. They were speaking the same language they had been…the one that he village elders had been teaching them. They could do something with this. She turned to Anzu.

"We can get him back! I'm sure of it!"

Anzu was shocked by the sudden outburst, but recovered quickly. "Um…We can? You are?"

Serenity nodded. "Yes! Well…I'm sure it would be very dangerous…but, I'm not going to sit back and let them steal my brother away. If it had been me, he wouldn't have just stood here and watched!" Anzu blinked at her and opened her mouth to speak, but didn't get the chance.

"What if…what if one of us sneaks in there? They didn't look too much different from us. And if we get someone who speaks the language really good," she grabbed Anzu's hands, "it could really work."

Anzu took a minute to process all of this. Sneak in… steal him back…hmm. It's possible. It's dangerous. But still…

"Who speaks their language that well? I mean…it's not like even those who know it speak it that often at all.."

Serenity grinned for the first time in days. "Well, remember how I said I thought it'd be cool to meet one of those people? I've always been impressed by their culture…and I know two guys that would do anything to impress me…"

"…40 people were arrested and 5 were sent to the hospital. Talks to improve company healthcare coverage is still in the works. Dan?"

"Well, here's a story for ya. We've all heard about it. Humans actually living, hidden, in the forests around the world. Fairytales? Not according to one of the most popular young people at the time."

"That's right folks. Genius business owner and teen girl's fantasy, Seto Kaiba, is out to prove these stories true. Reports from several sources have indicated that he is actually claiming to have one of these humans in his presence. Apparently, he went out looking for them and found one. Imagine that. Dan?"

"And he's not the only one, take a look at this." The picture changes from the drab reporters behind the desk to an odd looking forest. "These have not been edited. What you see is really there. From the looks of it, it seems there is a giant 'city' in the trees. A lone helicopter pilot shot this just a few days ago. Now, why we've never seen this before is beyond me.." Seto had heard enough. Publicity was nice, but he was really resenting it right now. He imagined the general morale of his entire company had just gone down by 20 points.

He rubbed the bridge of his nose, looking over at the blonde at the other end of the couch. He had fallen asleep sometime around the weather reports. Just as well. It might have been to much for him if he had seen one of his cities on television.

Seto stood up, walking over to Joey. He stood over him, taking in his appearance. He looked so peaceful, comfortable. Not at all like the goofy, fiery teenager he really was. Seto sighed, then picked up a throw that was draped over one of the chairs. Gently, he spread I out over the blonde careful not to wake him. He leaned over, actually tucking him in a bit. Then the though crossed his mind… 'Just a small peck…that's it…' he leaned in, coming nose to nose with him. Just a bit more… Nah….

He stood up quickly, blushing uncharacteristically. He stalked out of the room, desperately trying to regain his composure.

* * *

There you have it. Bit longer then usual. Tell me what you think. Thanks to all one of you that replied to the last one. You were a fan before, weren't you? 


	10. Teach Myself

Hi! Me again. I found an interesting thing on the internet a few weeks ago. 

http/ just about what I imagine the humans forest home to be like. Just thought it was interesting. Thanks for the support. Note: take out the last '?'

Also…I'm changing Joey to Jou. Sounds better.

* * *

Jou shifted under the sheets. He had been in bed for several hours now, but sleep eluded him. Every time he began to doze off, he ended up jerking himself awake. Plus, he hadn't been that tired anyway, what with that late afternoon nap and all. He sighed. He had never had this problem back home.

Sitting up, he threw back the covers and swung his legs over the side of the bed. He rubbed his eyes and stood up, walking to the window at the far side of the room. He opened them and looking into the sky. It was cloudy and looked like it might storm. Oh yeah, there was lightening. Yay. Jou hated lightening. He had always had a bit of a fear towards electricity anyway.

He kept watching. The wind began to pick up and the lightening was moving closer. Suddenly, there was a strike just outside his window, causing him to flinch badly. Turning his face back towards the window, he looked up at the sky. The clouds were swirling quickly and had a strange tint to them. It reminded him of something…

* * *

'You want me to what?"

Ryuuji's face went pale as the girls recounted their plan to him. Infiltrating, blending in, sneaking a person out of…no.. He couldn't do this..

"I can't do this."

Serenity sighed. "Yes, you can. I believe in you. If you don't….who knows what will happen. Please," she put her hand over his, "for me?"

He swallowed hard, blushing a bit. He didn't hate her brother, but he could get away with a lot more without him there. But Serenity was miserable without him. He sighed, his resolve weakening. Then he nodded.

"Ok. What do we do first?"

* * *

Jou paced the room nervously, still not being able to sleep. Every now and them he would glance at the clock, watching the minutes go by. Morning lasts too long…He had found a book lying on the desk in the far side of the room which he was now flipping through. Some of the words seemed familiar, some not. By this time he had figured out the meaning of the word 'brother'. He certainly heard it enough around here.

As he looked over the words, he tried to recall a phrase he'd learned. What was it? Oh yeah…

"E…,' he furrowed his brow. His accent was off. Oh well.

"E..du-du nuut oondar..oondar-shtant," he shook his head. "Vhat uoar sayg…..shinea au beri pau." Jou snarled as he threw the book onto the bed. He just wasn't good at this language stuff. And then, the electricity went out.

* * *

Seto was startled awake. Whether is was from the electricity going out, the clad of thunder, or the yelping commotion in the next room , he wasn't sure. He sat up, throwing the covers off of himself. 'I wonder what time it is? Man..wish there was something not computerized in here..'

He stood up, adjusting his sleep pants as he walked to the door. It opened loudly as there was no electronic buzz to drown it out. It wasn't far to Jou's guest room. He stopped in front of it, deciding whether to knock or just go in…

Knock knock "Hey…you ok in there?"

* * *

Jou sat on the bed, wondering how to respond to that. His English lesson hadn't gone very well..

Knock! "Hello?" The door knob started to turn. Jou gave it a shot.

"E duun oon.." By that time, Seto had made his way inside and stood in front of him. They regarded watched other cooly. Finally, Jou spoke up to finish his sentence.

"Dershtan vhat uaor sayg." Seto blinked. He then threw his head back for a second, laughing heartily.

"Your accents horrible"

* * *

I dunno. I feel this really sucks. But its been so long, I just felt I owed some one something. Thanks to anyone that reads this. 


	11. I'll Try Anything

For the record, I blame my inspirational friends. Man…I just didn't have any ideas for this. But I thank you all who read…even if you don't comment. I'm gonna eventually add Malik, Ryou, and Bakura in here. I'm not sure what side they should be on though…help? 

Ahem…where were we? Ah yes…By the way, the words he was saying in English "I don't understand what you're saying." Then he lamented he couldn't do 'this'.

------

"Your accents horrible."

Jou didn't understand that exactly, but he knew enough about it to know he was being insulted. He glared, his hands twisting the sheets that were in their grasp. He watched Seto; Seto watched back. Then was overcome by a major yawn. He stretched his arms out over his head, throwing his wings out as far as they could go before bringing them back against his back. Jou was jealous. But then again…

'Ya know what they say man…If man were meant to fly, God would've given him a plane ticket. Or something…'

Seto regained his composer, then moved to sit on the bed next to the blonde. He sighed, not knowing what to say now. Then he spied the book that was laying half open on the bed. He picked it up and fixed the pages that were bent. He then turned to Jou.

"Were you reading this? Hnn…I guess not 'reading' exactly but…" Jou stared at him. Seto changed his tactics. But before he got the chance, Jou tried to speak again. "E doon oonder…"

Seto held up a hand, attempting to silence him. Jou trailed off, a bit annoyed. Then Seto spoke, slowly.

"I..don't…under..stand..what…you…are…saying…," He gestured for Jou to repeat. Oddly, he did.

"Iiiee…". Seto stopped him. "I. I."

Jou repeated after him. "I…I…doon.."

"Don't".

"I doon…don't…I don't..un-un?"

"Understand. Un-der-stand."

"Uuunder-shta..under-stand….Eiii..don't..understand…"

"What….whaaat…"

"Vha…wha..what..I don't undershtand what..yu…"

"I. Don't. Understand. What. You. Are. Saying."

"I..don't…understand…what…you…are…saying. Ina shite cu?"1

"Very good."Seto smirked. The kid could learn after all. And was amusing. He was still practicing the phrase, and looking very proud of himself. A clap of thunder sounded, scaring them both. Another thing to teach him.

"Thunder." He pointed to the window, just in time for a flash of light. "Lightning". Another loud crash. "Thunder…do you understand?

Jou thought for a minute, then nodded. "Thunder….lightning. Light-n-ing. Thuuuunder. I…understand." He smiled, then repeated. "I understand you."

The dragon chuckled bitterly. Yeah…he wished someone understood him. He twirled the book that was in his hands, flipping it over to read the title. The blonde looked over his shoulder. He then pointed to the cover, curious as to what it said. Seto obliged. 

"The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Think you could say that?" Jou's mouth opened and closed several times, before he shook his head, giving up. He laughed and said, "En reh behenaru chiku tomai."2

A particularly close lightning bolt struck, causing the boys to flinch. And also made one of them whimper. Seto lifted a hand, thinking about comforting him. But thought better of it. Instead, he stood to leave, feeling only slightly guilty about it. Jou watched him as he spoke, not understanding him still. He watched the dragon boy walk towards the door, thinking of a phrase he had just remembered.

"Goodnight."

Seto stopped midway in opening the door. He turned to face the blonde, smiling slightly.

"Goodnight"

-------------

For several minutes, Jou sat in the same spot on the bed, tinkering with his collar. Seto didn't have the controls…he hoped. Maybe he could get it off…He fiddled with the clasp, trying to force the sides apart. They didn't budge. He lowered his hands, sighing as another bolt of lightning struck. The power still hadn't come back. That seemed to be one of the main components of this place. Earlier, he'd tried to get out through the window, but as soon as he'd figured out the locks and opened the thing, a horrible screeching sounded.

His mind stopped. There was not electricity. Maybe there would be no horrible screeching. He could get out. This could really be his chance! With a new plan, he stood, quickly making his way to the window. He hesitated, having the slightest doubts about the whole thing. But he put those out of his mind for now. He undid the latches, then put his hands on the bottom of the window. His hands were shaking from the excitement. He couldn't wait. Finally, he began to lift up, halfway expecting the alarms again. They never came.

It took him a few seconds to figure out that it worked. When he finally did, he squealed a bit, trying not to be too loud and wake everyone up. Instead, he did a goofy dance that was mainly a series of fist pumps into the air. Finally, he had won.

Breathing hard from his dancing, he stood in the middle of the room, thinking of what to do next. Getting his wits about him, he figured he should probably put his clothes on. It was raining after all. He examined the dark floor, trying to find them. He walked around the room, finally tripping over his blue jeans. He hastily put them on, while looking for his shirt. Not there…not there…ah ha! Throwing it on over his head, he was happy to see that his shoes were right next to the bed. His hands were shaking again, making it hard to tie them. He was almost there. He was almost free.

Standing up, he smoothed out his clothes. He made his way to the window again, looking out and down. Oh…that's quite a drop. 'Um….', thinking fast he… 'Uh…er..'…um…thinking even?

'What do I do about this? Nothing to climb on. Rope? Umm…why would there be rope in here….bed sheets!'

With that, he practically ran back to the bed, gathering all of the sheets. He set to work, tying them together, and making sure the knots were tight. Now he just hoped it was long enough. He'd fallen from fairly far up before, but now wasn't the time to take that chance. Running away with a broken leg would be kind of hard. Standing, he ran the sheets through his hands, making sure everything was in order. Finally. He was ready.

He grabbed the mass of cloth, dragging it all to the window. He dropped it, grabbing one end of it and tying it to the leg of the nearby desk. Then he picked up the rest, building up to toss t out the window. Three, two, one…

BANG  
Screeeeeeee!

"Ah….watare!3

----------

Down the hall, in another room, Seto rolled over. He reached over on his bed stand, grabbing a remote. Pressing a button, the screeching stopped, leaving only the sounds of cursing in another language. He chuckled.

'He's really proven himself. I don't think I'm going to let him go anytime soon…'

He was brought out of his thoughts by the sound of his door opening, revealing his little brother.

"Hey…what's going on? Did Jou try to get out again?" He stopped and listened to the cursing in the other room. "Oh…ok. Never mind then."

---------------

Well hope it wasn't too horrible.

1Is that right?  
2 That's a bit much for me 3…do I have to say it?

Thanks to all who read.! 


	12. note!

So I've gotten another review. Hoo boy…

Its been two years since I started writing this. I've fallen out of the fandom, not too much cause I lost interest, just that I couldn't keep up.

I also thing I forgot where I was going. Um..oops.

Also, I cringe at my writing, now that I've had two college English and writing classes. But, I have a chapter I've been working on. I'll try again. (I have two weeks off school yay)


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